Metallic fence



(N0Mode1.) sheets-sheen 1. J. A. COOPER.

` METALLIC FENCE. No. 32,254. Patented 001;. 25, 1887.

l i M v llllllll El h ; l@ El@ l l All lll lllll lllll lllll ll lllllIlvlll l (No Model.) 4 -2 sheets-sheet 2.

J. A. COOPER.

METALLIC FENCE. No. 372,254. Patented Oct. 25, 1887.

@aa-MW a front view of a portion of a picket and chan- Nrrn Srnrns lnrnrtr irren.

JAMES ATEN COOPER, OF LIMA, OHIO.

METALLlC. FENCE.

SPECIFICATION frming par-r of Letters Patent No. 372,254, dated october25,1887.

Application filed April 16, 1986. Serial No. 199,100. (No model.)Patented in England May 13, 1586, No. 6,637, and in France May 15,

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMns ATEN COOPER, of the city of Lima., county ofAllen, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Metallic Fences, (patented in Great Britain May 13,1886, and numbered 6,637, and in France May 15, 1886, and numbered176,169,) of which the following` is a specification. Y

This invention relates to improvements in metallic fences, the object ofthe inventionv being to provide a metallic fence of such consc-:otionthat it may be quickly and readily adjusted to different angles to adaptthe same to grades of greater or less pitch, and to providepicket-holding ornaments of such construction that When in place theyhave a bearing upon the rail at its extreme edges inward at the upperand under sides and in a direct line wit-h the center of the picket, andwill have the same appearance when viewed from either side.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fence-post with picketsand ornaments similar to the pickets and ornaments which constitute themain portion of the fence proper, so that the same general ornamentationwill extend from end to end ofthe fence.

Another object of the invention is to provide the fence with metallicconnections of such construction that the adjacent ends of the rails(which constitute the picketsupports) of two sections or panels may beconnected together alter all the line-posts are set without tipping orinclining the said rails to enter their ends into the connection andwithout slilding them forward to accomplish this resu t.

In order that others may use and construct my invention, I will nowproceed to describe the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents in front elevation aportion of a fence as constructed in accordance with this invention;Fig. 2, Sheet 2,

nel-rail and the ornament which secures them, the rail being shown bydotted lines as slightly inclined; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the same,the rail being shown in section; Figs. 4, 5, and 6, details of theadjustable connection 18st, No. 176,169.

which connects the rails of the fence to the post; Fig. 7, a sideelevation of the rail-connection; Fig. 8, a vertical centrallongitudinal section of the same; Fig. 9, a vertical cross-section ofthe same on dotted line x x, Fig. 7; and Fig. 10, an under side view ofthe same.

The metallic fence forming the subject of this invention comprises thepost A; its component parts; the adjustable connection B, connecting thepost and channel-rails, the channel-rails O, the pickets D, theornaments E, which engage the pickets and channel-rails; and therail-connections F, that connect the ends of the rails of adjacentsections or panels of the fence proper, all of which parts areconstructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposehereinafter set forth.

The post is composed of the base c, basecap b, verticalsupporting-standards c, top pieces, d d, stay-rod e, brace f,picketesupporting bands g, pickets D, and picket-holding ornaments E',all of which are constructed and arranged as hereinafter set forth.

The adjustable connection B, which connects the rails of the fenceproper to the poststandard, consists of a two-part ball-socket clutch,B', having fingers b at one end to grasp the post-standard, and atwo-part railengaging sleeve, B2, having a ball, c', formed integralwith one of its parts to enter the ballsocket of the clutch B', thesetwo elements forming togetheranniversal or ball-and-socket connectionbetween the fence-rails and the post, and allowing the fence proper tobe inclinedvmore or less with relation to the post, to adapt it togrades of various pitch, and at the same time permitting lateraladjustment of the same, if desired.

As above stated, the socket-clutch, which forms one element of the adjustable connection B, is made in two parts, it being centrally andvertically divided. as clearly illustrated n the drawings, Fig. 4, Sheet2. Each part or member of the clutch has two standard-grasping ngers,b', the inner contour of which is yol' right-angle or V shape-that is tosay, they are of such construction that when the two members or parts ofthe clutch are united an inclosed square space is left between them forthe reception of the post-standard. The ngers IOO of one member of theclutch have upwardly and downwardly projecting lugs b, which lugs areengaged when the two members are united by a slightly hook-shapedprojection, b4, on the lingers b of its fellow member, said pin and hookpreventing any liability of the two members becoming separated whenbolted together around the post-standard. The opposite end of the clutchB' is shaped to form projecting ears b5, having spherieally-concaved inner faces, the said ears forming` a socket for the reception of theball-like end c of the twopart rail-engaging sleeve B, the clutchniembers being clamped together around the poststandard and ball c' by abolt between the socket and linger ends.

The sleeve B2 consists of a lower plate, c2, to support the channel-railC of the fence, and a cap, c3, to overlap and cover said plate andchannel-rail, the said plate c'l heilig of a shape iu crossscelion tocorrespond to the cross-sectional shape of the channel-rail, it being ofless diameter, however, being interposed between the depending flangesof the rail G. The ball c', which is engaged by the clutch, ispreferably formed integral with the plate c2, and the cap c, whichcovers the plate e, is constructed similar to a square or oblong boxwith one end and the bottom off, the said cap being of sufiicientinternal diameter to overlap the rail C and plate c2, which supports therail, an open slot being made in the forward end of the cap to straddlethe stem or shank of the ball c. The rail C is secured to the two-partSleeve B2 by the bolt ci, extended through the plate c2, rail C, and capc, as illustrated in Fig. et, Sheet 2.

In the post A (illustrated in Fig. l., Sheet l) the vertical standards care seated at their base in square bearings formed in squareupwardly-projecting bosses d2 on the basecap b,

Yand at their upper ends in like bearings in the top piece, d', the saidstandards being secured in posit-ion at points intermediate betweenopposite ends by the metallic bands or spidersg, the said bauds havingopenings at their corners, through which the Standards e extend, andhaving central openings, through which the stay-rod e (which extendsfrom one end of the post A to its other) passes. The base-cap b restsupon and is supported by the base c, which base has a square top plate,e', and a bottom plate, et, connected together by flangedsupporting-legs e. As will be noticed by reference to the drawings, thebottom plate, c2, of the base a is raised somewhat near its center, soas to have a bearing only at its ends, the object being to preventrocking of the base upon stones or other obstructions which mayaccumulate to mar the evenness of the ground upon which the plate rests.The top of the post maybe of any design desired, the design shown in thedrawings being preferable. Theheaded stay-rod e extends from the top ofthe post its entire length through the base-cap b and top plate of thebase a, a nut being provided at its extreme lower end to hold andtighten the same.

At a point just above the basepieee b of the post is a four-armed brace,f, each arm of which is provided at its extreme end with squareopenings, through which the standards c ofthe post extend, said bracelbeing preferably of east metal, and being provided at its center with asleeve,f, through which the central stay-rod of the post A extends, saidsleeve resting (when the brace is pressed downward by means of thenutft, which engages the een tral stay-rod and bears upon the centerpiece of the bracef) upon the base-piece b, thereby securing thestandards c of the post against movement.

The picket D, which may be of any ordinary pattern, will preferably beused with a channel-supporting rail C of the shape clearly illustratedin Fig. 3, Sheet 2, of the drawings. Other forms of rail might be used,however, if desired, the said rail having a slightly-elongated slotthrough its central web, through which the picket is inserted whenputting the fence together.

rlhe ornament E, by means of which the channel-rail C and picket D aresecured in place, isprovided at its upper and lower ends withpicket-encircling eyes h h, as in ornaments of usual construction.Located upon the ornament E, asuitable distance above and below thecenter, are picket-encircling eyes h 7L', connected together byornamental arms or webs h2 h2, which extend outward in oppositedirections for a short distance from each eye h h', above and below therail C, and extend around both sides of said rail, thereby forming abearing for the said rail and preventing lateral movement. These arms if7L, which extend around the rail (l, are in a line wit-h thc centerofthe pieket,and have projecting lugs h, to bear upon the rail at itsupper and under faces in a line with the center oftl1epicket,said lugsbeing rounded at their ends and forming axial bearings for the rail,upon which the rail may rock when being inclined to a desired angle toadjust the fence to grades. By this construction of ornament, it havingrarms h2, to extend around both sides of the rail (l, and being providedwith lugs h, to bear upon the upper and under sides ofthe rail, asdescribed, (said lugs extending inward a considerable distance from theouter edges of the rail, as showin) a central bearing is secured for therail on its extreme edges at its upper side, and at its flanges at itsunder side, and in consequence of the provision of two arms h2,constructed and arranged as described, the strength of the ornament ismateriallyv augmented, andthe strain upon the main parts of the ornamentis thereby equalized, and the ornament is less liable to become bent,broken, or displaced. Again, it will be apparent to any one skilled inthis art that by providing arms of like construction at each side of thecenter of the ornament the ornament is less liable to warp or twist inICO ITO

the post-standards c, and are secured thereto by ornaments E', whichornaments are of the same general construction as those beforedescribed, which connect the pickets and fencerail, with the exceptionthat the arms of the post ornaments are cut away upon one sidesufficiently to permit the interposition of `the band y, the ornamentsbeing placed upon the band from one side, which construction and-yarrangement gives approximately the same general ornamentation to thepost as to the fence by giving it the appearance of a like andcontinuous ornamentation from end to end. As shown in the drawings, thearms h2 have a central vertical ornamental part, h4, to bear against thetwo sides of the rail C, which ornamental part hL is of greater widththan the main portion of thearms and vforms an ornamental part for thecenter of the ornament E Aand the side bearing for the rail, and onaccount of its width and vbearing against therail prevents anypossibility of the ornament turning sidewise.

In Figs. 7, 8,9, and l0, Sheet 2, an improved connection, F, for theends of the rails in the fencesectious, is illustrated. This connectionF is constructed in three'pieces--a rail-supporting plate, k,'and twocaps, cc. The supporting-plate la will in practice be of a width.

equal to the width of therail C, it having a raised box-like centralportion, k3, as shown most clearly in Fig. 8, the ends of the plate eachside ofthe portion 7c3 being of a shape to correspond to the interiorcontour of the rail C, the said rail straddling said ends, and beingsecured thereto by a bolt, k7, extending through the cap k', rail C, andplate 7c, the rail having an elongated opening therein to permitexpansion and contraction. i

rllhe caps k', which cover the rail C and plate It, are shaped like abox without a bottom or ends, and are placed over therail after the sameis in position. By this construction of railconnection the rails may besecured in place without tipping or incliniug them and without slidingthem forward to enter the connection,

. as is customary with connections of ordinary constructions,which isgreatly advantageous,as it permits the panels or sections of fence to beconnected after setting all the line-posts,which is impossible withother connections. 'Ihe plate k has a picket-opening, 754, formedtherein scribed, to permit theinterposition of the connection F (whichconnection is wider than the rail C) between the arms.

It is not desired to limit the invention to the exact shape of rail orornament, as many different forms may be used without departing from myinvention.

I am aware that a fence has been provided With an ornament having an armto extend around and engage one side of the rail, said ornament beingprovided with downwardly and upwardly extending V-shaped prongs tocontact with the upper and under sides of the web of the rail, asdescribed and claimed in Patent No. 326,535, dated September 15, 1885;but this construction l do not desire to claim.

I claiml. A metallic fence comprising the punched rail C, the picket D,extended therethrough, andthe ornament E, having eyes to engage thepicket, and having the arms h2 extending out in opposite directionsentirely around the front and rear sides, respectively, of the rail,which arms have lugs h3, to bear upon the upper face of the'rail at.both edges and upon the under faces of the iianges of the rail in a linecentral with relation to the center of the picket, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

2. The picket-holding ornament E for metallic fences, having thepicket-encircling eyes h h', the arms h2 ht, extending out in oppositedirections around both sides of the rail, and having the centralvertical ornamental part, h, of greater width than the main body of thearms h2, to bear against the sides of the rail, as described, and havingthe lugs h,to bear upon the upper face of the rail near both' its edgesand upon the under faces of the rail-flanges in aline central to thecenter of the picket and ornament, all substantially as and for thepurpose set forth. g

3. In a metallic fence, the fence-post A, composed of the base-cap b,having upwardlyprojecting bosses with the sockets formed therein, thevertical standards seated in said sockets, the top pieces, d cl', thebrace f, the bands or spiders g, having openings through which thestandards extend, and intermediate openings through which pickets areextended, pickets D, and picket-holding ornaments E', all constructedand arranged rsubstantially as shown and described.

4. In a metallic fence, the adjustable connection B,to connect thefence-rails to the post, consisting of the two-part clutch B', havingfingers at one end to grasp the post-standard, and ears at the oppositeend having spherically concaved inner faces to form a ballsocket, and atwo-part railengaging sleeve having a ball at one end to enter and beheld by the ball-socket of the clutch, substantially as shown, and forthe purpose described.

5. The adjustable connection for the post A and rail C of the fence,consisting of the twopart clutch B and the twopart rail-engaging IOO IlO

sleeve B2, the clutch being composed of two members and being dividedvertically and longitudinally,each member having lingers b, of suchshape that when joined a square space is lel't between them, the twofingers of one member having upwardlyprojecting lugs and the two lingersof the other member having projections to engage said lingersasdescribed,

the opposite end oi' the clutch having a ballsocket formed therein, thetwo members being clamped together by a bolt, as set forth, and the railengaging sleeve being composed of the lower plate, c`, to enter betweenthe flanges of thc channel-rail, and having the ball c' formed integraltherewith, and the open Cap c, to overlap the rail and lower plate, thewhole being secured by the bolt 0, all as and for the purpose set-forth.

6. lu a felice, thc connection for the rails,

consisti ng of the plate 7., shaped to correspond to the interiorcontour ofthe rail C, having a raised central box like portion, k, witha picket-opening through its upper web, and a boss upon its innersidc toreceive aset-screw, as described, and the box-like caps k 7,1', to coverthe said lower or main plate, 7c, all constructed and arrangedsubstantially as shown and described, whereby the rails may be sccuredtogether without tipping them or sliding them forward, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and seal, at Pittsburg,Pennsylvania, this 9th day Ot' January, A. D. 1886.

JAMES TEN Coorna. [L s] In presence of F. L. S'rnrHENsoN, J. M. McBmDE.

